New Delhi: India’s 30-run loss to South Africa in the first Test has stirred up the usual storm of criticism and much of it has landed at the doorstep of head coach Gautam Gambhir. The match barely lasted for three days with the pitch turning alarming from the first session onward and India’s batting never quite found its feet in the second innings. But as the noise grew louder, Robin Uthappa stepped forward with a firm message that blaming the coach is a lazy conclusion.

Speaking during a YouTube live session, Uthappa sounded almost puzzled by the backlash. He reminded fans that the players, not the coach, walk out into the middle. “Coach thodi jaake khel raha hai andar,” he said, pointing out the obvious yet often forgotten reality.

He added that if someone like Rahul Dravid, with mor

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